rebelling against low expectations
Christmas is supposed to be a time of joy. It’s what all the Hallmark movies tell us, with their over-the-top decorations and picture-perfect events. It’s what all the songs talk about (It’s the most wonderful time of the year, right?) It’s advertised on every commercial and ad: if we just buy this or do that or decorate just so, we’ll be happy and we’ll have the best Christmas ever. Yet rather...
There is a plague sweeping our culture today. A plague that brings thousands to their knees. It’s taking hold of more teens and young adults than we know, and it is devastating. If you don’t suffer from it, you may not see it as a plague at all, but it is. And it has a name: Anxiety. I assure you, you know people who battle it every day. Some of you may say, “Everyone feels anxious sometimes...
In the midst of my health struggles, it took a movie quote to shake me from my despair and remind me of the core of Christian hope. It came from the movie Return of the King. Faramir is comforting Éowyn, who can only see death and despair in both her own future and the future of the world. The scene goes like this: Éowyn: The city has fallen silent. There is no warmth left in the sun. It grows so...
It was supposed to be over. The hurricane of chaos that formed in 2020 was supposed to dissipate as the sun rose on January 1, 2021. It’s what the media promised. It’s what our weary hearts hoped for to the point of delusion. But it wasn’t reality. When we awoke to a new year, racism still existed in the hearts of men. COVID 19 and its variants remained a present threat. And political upheaval...
A man stands at the edge of a gorge. Human bones litter the valley floor. Dry bones bleached white from many days exposed to scorching sun. As his eyes took in the sight before him, he felt sick by such death. As he looked on, a hand fell on his shoulder before despair took hold of his heart. He looked up at his Companion; the One who led him to this valley of death. “Son of man,” his Companion...
Night is supposed to be a time of rest. However, for those struggling with anxiety, insomnia, or grief, the night may be anything but restful. It can feel dark and endless. At times life itself might feel like an endless night; the narrow road feels too perilous to travel much longer, and our path grows so dim we fear we might fall. You Are Not Alone Dear friends, take heart. This darkness is not...
It’s what makes me stop watching the news for weeks at a time: Catastrophes, loss of freedom, flourishing of evil. You get the picture. It’s all over the media. Yes, of course it’s true that bad news gets more response than good news, and that gives the media reason to focus on the worst parts of the world. But even with that knowledge, it’s very easy to feel like the world is getting worse. And...
You’ve been bent, bruised, and broken. You’ve stood firm, you’ve cried, you’ve grieved. You’ve gone from hopeless to hopeful all on calloused, bloody knees. Now you stand on a summit, watching the sun kiss the sky with golden rays, as the tears on your cheeks dry in the light of brighter days. Green seedlings sprout in the ashes at your feet, as a rainbow graces the sky through what’s left of the...
In our overly-digitized age, we are constantly bombarded with information. It’s overwhelming, anxiety-inducing. It often feels as if we have to have an opinion and be fighting for or against nearly 840 things at once. Are you feeling me? Truly, I don’t believe humanity was meant to carry a burden like this; the burden of being aware of every bad thing happening in the world. Nevertheless, this is...
Sometimes we go through seasons when doing hard things is invisible to those around us—it’s inward. Perhaps it looks bleak, even. Like a winter with cold, hard ground where growth seems impossible. Yet, gradually, spring comes and earth softens and seeds take root. Growth happens underneath the ground—buried and invisible to the naked eye. I’ve found this to be true because my life hasn’t...
rebelling against low expectations
